It's Just Research
by superfreakerz
Summary: AU. After having her smut-filled story criticized for being amateurish, Lucy decides once and for all it's time to gain some experience in the world of sex. Her best friend, Natsu, agrees to help her with her research. Together, the two explore each other's bodies, all the while denying their feelings for each other and insisting that they are just doing research.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Research

Lucy buried her head in her arms. Every low whistle or soft hum made her want to crawl into a hole and live a solitary life, one away from her friends' nosy vices. All she wanted was a normal girls' night. They could watch romcoms and eat pizza, talk about boys, and then pass out. Unfortunately, her friends had other plans.

Lucy had went to use the bathroom. When she came back, she found the other girls huddled at the dining table, all of them staring at a stack of papers. Their eyes were wide, their faces rosy. And with just a few more seconds of speculating what it was that caught their attention, Lucy figured it out.

It was a new story she had been working on, one that she had planned on taking to her grave. In order to broaden her writing horizons, she was challenging herself with more… _mature _content.

It had to have been Erza. There was no way Levy or Juvia would go snooping through her stuff. Well, okay maybe. But chances were it was the red-headed demon at fault.

"Wow, Lu-Chan…" Levy started. The pink hue in her cheeks hadn't relented even slightly. "This is…"

"Don't say anything!" Lucy cried, slapping her hands over her ears. She wasn't sure she was going to live this one down.

"It isn't too bad," Erza said, rubbing her chin in thought as she read over the last paragraph. "Well, for a virgin that is."

Lucy peeked between her fingers at her friends. Each of them were carrying a different page of her story, analyzing it. Beneath her mortification was the curiosity to know how she had done. Judging by their raised brows and slight frowns, she was beginning to suspect that she didn't do too well.

"Erza is right," Juvia chimed in. "The way you describe some of the positions aren't physically possible."

"And the descriptions used for the orgasms aren't as explosive as they should be," Erza added.

"At least your grammar is on point!" Levy exclaimed, hoping to throw some good criticism into the mix.

Lucy frowned. "Is it really that bad?"

"It just seems a bit amateurish," Erza answered. She was never one to mince words. Her words stung, but Lucy appreciated the honesty. It was the only way she would improve.

"I can't believe it's that bad. I know I'm inexperienced and all, but I figured I could at least imagine what it was like correctly."

"It isn't your fault you're inexperienced!" Levy assured. "You'll experience it eventually."

"Will I? I'm already twenty-one. All of you lost your virginities back in high school! Why am I falling behind?"

"You aren't falling behind, Lu-chan. You're just waiting for the right person! It isn't a race. Just wait for whenever you're ready."

Lucy nodded, but her thoughts hadn't changed. She had always dreamed of a knight in shining armor sweeping her off her feet since she was a little girl. Then high school came and went. Her friends had found their soulmates- though, perhaps she wouldn't call a couple of them knights in shining armor. Still, it was like they were made for each other. And she was left the only single girl in the group.

It didn't bug her too much. She knew that she was still young then. There was all the time in the world to find love. She went to college with all her friends, really focused on writing, and put romance on the backburner. Sure, she had been on a few dates every now and then, but the boys were far from knightly. They were more like hungry beasts, staring at her like she was a piece of meat.

College was supposed to be where she found love, but now she was going to graduate soon and she hadn't even felt a single spark of romance.

Lucy climbed under the covers, staring up at the ceiling. She was tired of waiting for a knight to come along just so that she could lose her virginity. Hell, Cana didn't, and she was one of the happiest people Lucy had ever met.

If her lack of knowledge was bringing down her writing, then she was going to do some firsthand research.

Lucy heaved a sigh as she unlocked her front door. After a day of grilling exams, the girl was glad to have some down time. Swinging open the door, a vein immediately ticked in her forehead as she found a familiar head of pink at the couch.

"Natsu, what are you doing here?" Lucy asked, dropping her bag to the floor and plopping beside the boy on the couch. This wasn't the first time he had broken into her apartment, and it certainly wouldn't be the last.

Lucy had met Natsu and the rest of their group in high school. She was the new girl after finally getting her father's permission to go to a public school. It was rough at first. Most people didn't take the time out of their day to greet her, and the ones who did were all perverted boys whose eyes were locked to her chest.

All except for Natsu.

When he saw her sitting alone for lunch, he sat right beside her with a cheery grin and started talking to her as if he'd known her his whole life. She was taken aback at first, but it was impossible not to melt right into the conversation. Soon enough, the rest of the gang sat with them and they all had been close friends ever since.

Natsu was not only her first friend, he was her best friend.

"Yo, Luce!" the boy greeted with a toothy grin. "Took ya long enough."

"You know I have to walk home."

Natsu shrugged. "You usually walk faster."

Lucy averted her gaze, her cheeks burning red. She did take longer to walk home that day because she was walking home with a classmate, Hibiki. They talked every day in class, he was good looking, and he was more than experienced. She figured he would be the perfect partner in her research.

So, she asked him to walk with her, which he so enthusiastically accepted. The more time they spent together walking home, the more Lucy realized that he wasn't the right one. She wasn't sure what she based that decision off of, but she felt it in her gut.

"_Maybe I should just do it with a stranger," _she thought. At least that way she wouldn't have to deal with the embarrassment of seeing the guy again.

"Lucy? Hello? You there?" Natsu asked, waving a hand in front of her face, causing her to jump.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry."

"You okay, Lucy?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

Natsu studied her, giving her all his attention. His onyx eyes bore into hers. She tried to act nonchalant, but she knew that within the few short seconds of him analyzing her, he figured out that something was on her mind. He was always able to read her like an open book.

"No you aren't. What's wrong?" Natsu asked, his face serious. He was usually carefree, but there was another side of him he reserved specifically for her. A side that, if she was being honest with herself, made her feel special.

Lucy sighed. She was not about to talk about her romantic life with Natsu. Doing that felt… strange. "I just had a bad day," she said, leaving out the key details. Standing up so she could avoid his piercing gaze, she went to the cupboard and grabbed two cups and a bottle of vodka. She wasn't much of a drinker, but thanks to Cana, her apartment always had at least one emergency bottle of booze.

Natsu stood from the couch, his brows shooting up towards his hairline. "That bad?"

"Alright, more like a couple of bad days."

"I'll get the orange juice."

After grabbing everything they needed, they returned to the couch. Natsu took to making the drinks. He filled one cup with solely vodka. The other, he put just a sliver of booze and filled the rest with orange juice. Not only did Lucy not like the taste of alcohol, but she was also a lightweight. He wouldn't be surprised if that tiny sliver alone got her tipsy.

Lucy thanked Natsu for the drink before downing it in one go. She was glad he knew her go-to drink, just as he knew her go-to ice cream and pizza and… Well, he knew everything there was to know about her.

As Natsu poured her another drink, Lucy peeked at him in the corner of her eye. His pink bangs were flat against his head. His strange coat- the one she always teased him for- was left open as always, revealing a perfectly chiseled torso.

Either the small sips of alcohol were already having their way with her, or she had just gone insane because there was no way in hell she was looking at Natsu that way. He was her best friend! That was all, despite what everyone else thought. Things were perfect the way they were, she wasn't going to go jeopardizing that over some silly research.

Or at least that's what she thought when she was only two shots in. Being given a few more drinks, the line between them began to blur.

Gnawing on her lower lip, Lucy watched him pour another drink. She'd never noticed it before, but even his hand was sexy. How could a hand be sexy? Lucy had no clue, but it was.

"So, wanna tell me why you're upset now?" Natsu asked, handing her the drink.

Lucy's fingertips burned as they brushed against Natsu's. She shook her head frantically. There was no way in hell she was going to tell him now that the damn alcohol was making her crazy.

"C'mon, Luce!" Natsu whined. "We tell each other everything!"

"Well this one's a bit more personal this time. It's girl stuff."

"Girl stuff? Your period doesn't start for another week."

Lucy slapped him upside the head. "Stop remembering when my period starts, pervert!"

"Oi! That doesn't make me a pervert!" Natsu replied. Rubbing his head with a pout, he continued, "If it's not that, then what is it?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Why not!?"

"Because!"

"Because why?"

"Because it's embarrassing and you wouldn't understand!"

Natsu cocked his head to the side. "Wouldn't understand? Just tell me what it is, Luce. I promise I won't make any jokes."

Lucy's face was set ablaze from the look he was giving her, and she knew it wasn't just from the alcohol.

"O-Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "But you have to promise not to laugh or judge me!"

"'Course I won't do that, weirdo."

Lucy tried maintaining eye contact, but that only lasted a few seconds as she felt too vulnerable and embarrassed. Playing with the hem of her shirt, she tried to gather the courage to speak. Grabbing her shot glass, she poured herself some liquid courage and downed it all, this time without any orange juice.

"I'm trying to have sex," she said, her gaze pointed at the table. Even though she couldn't see Natsu's face, she could just feel the stunned expression he was giving her. "Erza and the others found a _mature _story I wrote and criticized the way that I wrote a sex scene because it was too amateurish. So I want to have sex so I can finally have some experience. That's why I was late today. I was trying to see if someone in my class would be a good fit. He wasn't. Now I think I'm going to try with some stranger to just get it over with. And before you start judging me, I know what you're going to say. That I should wait or whatever. But I don't want to wait anymore. I want to do it. F-For my writing, of course."

Moments passed by, neither of them saying a word. Natsu's jaw hung on its hinges, his mind still processing what she said.

After a few more minutes of silence he managed to choke out a simple, "Oh."

"I knew you wouldn't understand!"

"Sorry, I don't," Natsu said with a shrug. "I don't see why you would go to a stranger for it."

Lucy glanced at him. "You're not weirded out by the other parts?"

"I've known you since high school. I've gotten used to how weird you are, Lucy. Which is why I also know that you shouldn't go to some stranger for that stuff. You've always talked about how important that stuff is to you."

Lucy swallowed thickly as she stared up at him. He was right. He did know her. Better than most. He knew her favorite drink, her favorite ice cream, he knew everything there was to know about her.

"W-What about you?"

Natsu's eyes turned the size of golf-balls as he stared at her. She refused to meet his gaze as she squirmed in her seat.

"W-Wait, what?" he asked. He must not have heard her right. There was no way in hell she was asking him to take her virginity. But alas…

"What about you?" Lucy repeated, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "You said that I shouldn't do it with some stranger because it's too important to me. And you're right. You aren't just some stranger. You are my best friend. You know me better than anyone. I want it to be you."

"All this for your writing?"

Lucy nodded, steeling her resolve. Though in truth, it was mainly for herself. She was tired of being inexperienced. Tired of not understanding what the other girls talked about on girls' night. She just wanted to get it over with already. The fact that it would help her with her writing was just an added bonus.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

Natsu didn't know what to say. Of course he wanted to. Unbeknownst to his smart-but-dense best friend, he'd wanted to for a long time. He'd even dreamt of it. But he wasn't sure he could do it in these circumstances.

"I-I think you've had too much to drink," he said, moving the vodka away from her.

Lucy shook her head. "I'm sober enough to know what I'm saying."

"L-Lucy, I don't wanna mess anything up between us. You're my best friend too."

Lucy shook her head again. She just couldn't accept that answer. It was either he wanted to or he didn't. And if he didn't, she would accept his answer without protest.

Something burned within Lucy. Never before had she felt so ready to give herself to another person. She wanted it bad.

"Can I try something?" she whispered, leaning closer to him.

Natsu swallowed thickly. Lucy's face was just inches from his. She peeked up at him with her beautiful brown orbs, her golden hair was slightly messy from the long day, and her lips were plump and pink.

"O-Okay," he answered, the word fumbling out of his mouth before he could think it over.

Lucy nodded gratefully before leaning towards him. Their breaths fanned each other's faces, their hearts pounding erratically in their chests. Their lips brushed against each other before they both delved deep into their desires and gave themselves to each other. Their lips washed against each other like waves, quickly finding a perfect rhythm.

Natsu's lips were hot against hers. Having known him for a while, she knew that he had never kissed anyone before- which was surprising seeing as how naturally it came to him. One of his hands rested on her cheek while the other cupped the back of her head, pulling her deeper into the kiss.

Pulling away only for air, Lucy pressed her forehead against Natsu's. Both of them were breathless, staring into each other's hooded eyes. Lust pooled in both of their eyes, making it clear how badly they both wanted it.

"You promise it won't ruin anything between us?" Natsu whispered. "Because I can't lose you. You're my best friend."

Lucy nodded. "I would never let it ruin our friendship."

"And you're sure you aren't just drunk?"

"Positive."

Natsu nodded. His cheeks matched his hair, and Lucy wasn't sure if it was from the situation or the alcohol.

"Okay," he said, the husky tenure of his voice bringing a shiver to Lucy's body. "I'm in."

Part of Lucy wanted to thank him, but with her fervent haste, there just wasn't any time for that. Crashing her lips against his, Lucy melted into him and the kiss. She trailed her fingers up to his biceps, squeezing the tight muscles. A shiver washed over her as Natsu's hands began their own exploration as well, starting from her shoulders and slowly moving to her hips.

Wanting to be even closer, Lucy positioned herself on his lap. Feeling something hard beneath her, she instinctively rolled her hips against it.

Natsu's jaw clenched as pleasure shot through him from the single movement. Taking a deep breath, he tightened his hold on Lucy's hips.

Lucy slowly grazed her fingertips over Natsu's abs, mentally thanking the heavens for his strange habit of not wearing a shirt under his coat. His abs were so perfectly chiseled, she could feel the indentations of each one. As her fingers moved lower and lower, a ball of anticipation formed in the pit of her stomach. The area between her thighs ached as her fingers brushed against the hem of his joggers.

Natsu pulled away from Lucy's lips only to sink his own over her neck. A soft mewl escaped the girl's lips, causing a wave of excitement to wash over him. He didn't really know what he was doing. He was only doing what he'd heard about or seen in the movies. Luckily, it seemed he was doing it right judging by the quiet noises she made and the way she arched her body against his.

Lucy's eyes rolled in the back of her head as Natsu's lips worked wonders over her neck. Her hands trembled with pleasure as she slid them underneath his coat before taking it off of him. Through half-lidded eyes, she gazed at his shirtless form, her tongue sliding over her lips.

"Like what you see?" Natsu joked.

Lucy rolled her eyes. She should've known that even in a moment as intimate as this one, he would still tease her. She wouldn't have had it any other way.

"I see you shirtless nearly every day," she replied, taking a moment to catch her breath.

"Yeah, but you've never looked at me like _that."_

He was right. She never looked at him that way before, only seeing him as her best friend. Now, she wished she could go back in time and really appreciate the view.

"There's a lot of things I haven't done before. That's the point of this, isn't it?" Lucy asked, her lips curling into a grin.

Her eyes widened as she felt something twitch below her.

"M-My bad," Natsu said, giving her a sheepish grin. He couldn't help it. The way she looked at him and confidently spoke all the while sitting on his lap made it harder to rein in his body's urges.

"You don't have to apologize."

Not wanting to lose any momentum, Lucy gripped the hem of her shirt. Her nerves were starting to return, embarrassed about stripping in front of Natsu. But she knew what she wanted and she wasn't going to let her embarrassment stop her from getting it.

Throwing caution to the wind, she tore her shirt off, leaving her clad in a pink, lacy bra.

Natsu swallowed thickly. He'd seen Lucy in a bra before. Hell, he'd even seen her naked before thanks to his lack of boundaries. But never before had he seen Lucy's breasts practically spilling out of her bra right in front of his face.

Acting on his desire, he reached out and grabbed one of her breasts. As Lucy squirmed in his lap and grinded over him, he found the urge to touch her irresistible. Sliding his hand beneath her bra, he grazed his fingertips against her hardened nipple. A soft moan slipped past Lucy's lips as she arched against him.

Natsu's hands snaked around Lucy so that he could unhook her bra. It took him a few seconds to get it, but when he did, he wasted no time in tearing it off. Gazing at Lucy's bare breasts, he swallowed thickly. He always knew they were big, but seeing them this close up was a game changer.

Lucy studied Natsu's features, waiting for him to say something. When he didn't, she started to worry. Did she not look good? Gnawing on her lower lip, she crossed her arms over her chest, shielding herself from him.

In the blink of an eye, her arms were pinned at her sides.

"N-Natsu?" she asked.

"Don't hide yourself," he replied, his gaze serious. She could see the hunger that swirled in his onyx orbs. Hunger for her.

"Okay."

"You're hot as fuck, and I'm gonna try to prove that to you."

Without giving her time to reply, Natsu closed his lips around one of Lucy's nipples, eliciting a loud moan from the girl as she leaned into it. His mouth was hot against her flesh, sucking and licking the sensitive nub.

Lucy's hands fisted his hair, tugging on it. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to quiet the sounds that were coming out of her. But with every lick brought another moan that she couldn't control. She rolled her hips against him, trying to put out the fire between her legs but it wasn't enough. The knot in the pit of her stomach grew with each second.

"N-Natsu," she breathed out.

He pulled away to meet her gaze. She was gnawing on her lower lip as she stared back at him, lust shining in her brown orbs. He nodded, not needing to hear what she wanted. He already knew, and he wanted it just as badly.

Grabbing her below her thighs, Natsu carried her into the bedroom, placing her on the bed. Shimmying out of his pants, he watched as Lucy did the same, his cock throbbing in excitement. His gaze immediately fell on her pink underwear, his tongue darting out to lick his lips.

"You know, we're gonna need to take those off to continue," Natsu said, his voice husky and low.

Lucy squirmed under his gaze. "I know. I'm just a little embarrassed. You know, it might help if you take yours off too..."

Natsu didn't need to think twice, quickly tearing off his boxers. His cock sprang free, capturing the girl's attention. He was never one to be embarrassed.

Lucy stared at his cock, eyeing its length. Admittedly, she didn't know what was considered big, but she had a strong feeling he was. She'd seen glimpses of it before, but she never got the chance to stare at it like this.

"Your turn," Natsu reminded her.

Lucy swallowed thickly, nodding before she hooked her thumbs on the hem of her underwear before pulling them off. Her face burned bright red under his attentive gaze. She could see his eyes glazing over every inch of her body.

"W-Wow, Luce," Natsu breathed out. She could tell by the twitch of his cock that her body got him aroused.

"W-Well? Are we going to do this thing?" Lucy asked, trying to mask her nerves with feigned confidence. Being naked in front of Natsu was a little embarrassing, but it didn't take away her excitement for what was to come.

"You don't wanna back out now?" Natsu asked. He wanted Lucy to be one hundred percent sure before they continued.

She shook her head. "Not at all. I'm ready."

With that, they were done talking. Natsu slid his hand into hers, guiding her towards the bed. Gently laying her down, he positioned himself between her legs. His eyes glazed over Lucy, admiring the way her golden hair was splayed below her, the flush of her cheeks, and the warmth of her eyes. He was always able to read her through her chocolate brown eyes. They were mixed with excitement and nervousness, the same way he was feeling.

He leaned forward and melted his lips with hers, hoping to drive away her nerves. When he felt her relax against him, he slowly lowered his hips, guiding himself to her. His shaft slid against her folds, eliciting a sharp breath from Lucy.

"Does it hurt?" Natsu asked, about to withdraw.

"Not at all. I just wasn't expecting it to be so warm. It feels good," Lucy answered. "I'm ready, Natsu."

Nodding, the boy continued. Making sure to keep her stimulated, he ran kisses along her collarbone while slowly pushing forward. As he grazed her entrance, he lowered his lips onto her breasts again, working his tongue over the hardened nubs. He made sure to go slowly, knowing that he could hurt her if he went to fast.

Lucy's eyes squeezed shut as she could feel Natsu slowly sinking into her. She'd heard war stories of girls' first times and how much it hurt, but in her case, it wasn't so bad. As he pushed deeper, there was a slight pinch of pain, but it was over before she knew it. Releasing a shaky breath, she allowed herself to relax as the fun part began.

Natsu's hands tightened on Lucy's shoulders. Her body was hot, and he understood what Lucy had meant earlier about it feeling good. Slowly pulling out, he gnawed on his lower lip to keep from moaning as she tightened around him, clinging and tugging onto his shaft. As he began to push forward again, Lucy's hands splayed onto his back, pulling him closer to her.

His cock throbbed with each steady thrust, and he could tell that with each passing second, Lucy was relaxing more and more. Wanting to make her first time memorable, he began to experiment to see what pleased her.

He started to go faster, all the while trying to keep a lid on his own body's urges. As he thrusted in and out of her, he pulled his head back to look at Lucy. Her eyes were squeezed shut, her mouth parted open. He could hear her breathing start to pick up. He watched as her breasts bounced with each thrust. His cock throbbed with arousal at the sight.

Wanting to change things up, he began to move in circles inside of her. His ears perked as Lucy let out a soft moan. Hands tightening around her shoulders, he slid deeper inside of her, groaning at how tight she was around him.

Lucy raked her fingers along Natsu's back, her eyes rolling back in her head. With each roll of his hips, he went deeper and deeper inside of her. Every inch of her was being explored as he moved in circles, stretching her walls. Wanting more, she wrapped her legs around his torso and brought him deeper inside of her. A breathy moan slipped past her lips before she clamped her teeth over them to try to keep quiet.

But with each thrust, pleasure pulsed within her, making it impossible to refrain from moaning. The pleasure began to build up, her toes beginning to curl. Fisting the bedsheets, she arched her body against Natsu, pushing her breast harder against his mouth. As his tongue ran over her nipple and his cock pounded into her, a wave of pleasure washed over her, her body trembling. His name slipped past her lips, crying it out as he continued to explore her body even after her orgasm. Her body felt like electricity was coursing through her veins. It felt like she was having an out-of-body experience.

Natsu gnawed on his lower lip, watching as Lucy quivered beneath him. Sweat dotted her face and her mouth was still open from screaming his name. He replayed that moment over and over again in his head, savoring the moment. Picking up the pace, he felt all his nerves from before disappear. He went harder and harder, groaning each time. And finally, the dam broke.

His knees locked as pleasure shot through his body. His breaths were ragged, his hair was plastered to his face, and his body shook as much as Lucy's. He rode out his orgasm, chasing the feeling until he no longer could.

Pulling out, he collapsed onto the bed beside Lucy. The two of them were panting messes, their legs tangled under the sheets.

"Well? How was your research?" Natsu asked once he regained control of his breathing.

Lucy, having forgotten the reasoning behind their sexual endeavours, replied, "Oh, right. It was amazing, actually. I kinda understand what the other girls were talking about now."

"Really? Does that mean it was good?"

"Better than good," Lucy answered, turning her head to give him a smile. "What about you? I hope you benefited from this too."

Natsu chuckled. "Benefited? Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Lucy blushed. "G-Good."

The two laid there in silence. The alcohol had long since worn off, and now that they weren't doing any _research, _Lucy struggled coming up with things to say- which never happened when she was around Natsu.

"S-So, uhh…" she started, begging her mind to come up with something.

Natsu seemed to be having the same issue as he replied, "So…"

"W-Well, I should go shower now," Lucy said. She felt bad about kicking him out, but now that the lust in the air was replaced with tension thick enough to cut with a knife, she felt she needed to escape the situation.

"Right, I should too," Natsu replied. As he stood up from the bed, he noticed Lucy wrapping herself with the blanket in the corner of his eye, hiding his body from her. He had to admit, it stung a little after what they had just done. Quickly throwing on his clothes, he plastered a smile to his face and waved to Lucy. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, tomorrow," Lucy replied, watching Natsu leave. Once he was gone, she sighed in relief. She didn't know what was wrong with her. _She _was the one who asked him to do it, not to mention it felt amazing, so why did she feel so strange now?

Heading to the bathroom, she turned on the shower, allowing the water to run over her body. As she stood there drowning in her thoughts, all she could hope for was that her friendship with Natsu remained intact.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: **Hello! Here's the next chapter! A little shorter than usual, oh well! And some people have been wondering how long this story is gonna be, and I don't know for sure since I don't have the outline completed, but it is going to be short. I would guess around ten chapters buuut who knows I just go with the flow lmao.

* * *

Chapter 2

Aftermath

Lucy glanced at the alarm clock by her bed, wincing when she found that it was already two in the afternoon. It was Saturday, a whole week after she and Natsu had taken each other's virginities. Since then, she hadn't seen or heard from him since. Or anyone else in the gang for that matter since she had different classes from everyone.

Since that night, Lucy hadn't been able to bring herself to talk to Natsu. She couldn't even see the color pink without thinking of him and the scandalous touches he left on her skin- which was quite annoying since her room was covered in pink. She didn't want to think of that night, for it made her nervous.

She didn't know what was wrong with her. She _wanted _it and she loved it. It felt amazing and her body tingled every time she remembered his touch. But for some reason, she couldn't bring herself to face him.

Did he regret it? Did he only agree because he was drunk too? Was she bad at it? Questions like those plagued her mind. She was worried that despite her promise to him, their actions may have altered their friendship forever, and she didn't feel ready to deal with the aftermath.

Lucy's ears perked as there was a sudden knock at the front door. Dragging herself out of bed, she threw on a fluffy robe over her pajamas and quickly ran to answer the door. Hoping it wasn't Natsu on the other side, the girl took a deep breath before swinging the door open to find Levy instead.

"Levy-chan?" Lucy asked, surprised to see her there. "What's up? Is something wrong?"

"That's what I was going to ask you," Levy replied, her lips curled into a slight frown. "Can I come in?"

Lucy- despite wanting to say no in fear of Levy somehow finding out her secret with Natsu- nodded and stepped aside to let her friend in. The two sat on the couch, Lucy hugging a couch pillow and playing with the material in hopes of distracting herself.

"So… is something wrong?" Levy asked.

"Why do you ask?"

"Cmon Lu-Chan. We haven't seen or heard from you in a week. You keep dodging my calls and you haven't been to Fairy Tail. Did something happen?"

Her night with Natsu replayed in her heard. She could almost feel his fingertips warming her skin as he grazed them along her body.

"Nope. Nothing in particular," Lucy answered, swallowing thickly. She could feel her face warming at the thought of Natsu.

Levy gave a skeptical look but didn't question her about it. "Why don't you come to Fairy Tail with me then? Everyone else is already over there."

"E-Everyone?"

Levy arched a brow. "Yeah, everyone. We all miss you. Now can you please come with me?"

Lucy fiddled with her fingers before sighing softly. "Yeah, I'll come. Just give me a minute to get ready."

As Lucy got ready, her anxiety grew. She was scared to see Natsu, but she promised him that she wouldn't let what happened ruin their friendship, so she was going to try her best to keep that promise.

After getting ready, the two headed for Fairy Tail. Fairy tail was a local pub run by the Strauss siblings. Lucy was particularly close to Mira, the oldest sibling and boss of the place. It was a popular place among all in Magnolia, filled with rowdy people of all ages.

As they approached the grand doors of Fairy Tail, Lucy took a deep breath before following Levy inside. She kept her eyes glued on the floor, her nerves getting the best of her. Reaching the table, she gulped, sweat dripping down the back of her neck.

"Lucy! Where have you been? It's been forever!" she heard Gray exclaim.

"Sorry guys, I've just been caught up with something," Lucy replied, sliding into the booth next to Levy. She kept her eyes glued to the table. She could feel someone's gaze boring into her, and she didn't have to lift her head to know who it was.

"Caught up? With what?" Erza asked.

"Oh you know, the usual. Studying, writing, the usual."

"Oh are you writing a new story? We usually don't see you for a week whenever you start a new one."

"Yep! That's what I was doing!"

"What's this one about?" Jellal asked.

"Uhh… That's a secret." Before anyone could question her any further, Lucy asked, "So what about you guys? Anything new happen while I was gone?"

Gajeel nodded his head toward Natsu. "That's what we've been trying to figure out for the last half hour now. It's obvious something's up with him, but he won't tell us anything. Even Erza couldn't convince him to tell her anything."

Lucy's eyes involuntarily peeked up towards Natsu, whose gaze was now glued to the table, obviously not a fan of where the conversation headed thanks to Gajeel. His cheeks were dusted pink, his lips tugged into a frown. As Lucy stared at him, she couldn't help but wonder what was going on inside his head.

"Now that you're here, you can drag it out of him," Gray said, catching her attention.

She moved her gaze onto the raven-haired boy. "W-What?"

"Well if Erza couldn't get him to 'fess up, then you're our only hope."

Lucy faltered. It was true. Whenever something was on Natsu's mind, she was the group's representative sent to figure out what it was and to cheer him up because she was usually the only one he confided in. It wasn't that he didn't trust the others, it was just that he didn't like opening up about such things and only preferred to do it with her. In truth, it made her feel special.

"Well, uhh, maybe we should stop questioning him about it. I'm sure he'll open up when he's ready," Lucy said. After all, she had a pretty good idea as to what was on his mind, and she did _not _want the group to know about it. Not now and maybe not ever.

The group shared a glance.

"Uhh, okay," Gray replied, having not expected that answer.

Finally, the group broke up into separate conversations, giving Lucy a moment of relief. It was hard to keep such a big secret from them, especially the girls. She promised them long ago that she would tell them everything once she lost her virginity, but now that it was with Natsu, she had to keep her lips sealed.

Peeking at Natsu in the corner of her eye, she found that he was still staring at the table, not even paying attention to the conversations around him. The air around them was so thick, it felt like she was going to suffocate.

Standing up from the table, Lucy wordlessly headed towards the bar in desperate need of a breath of fresh air- air that wasn't around Natsu. As always, Mira was manning the bar with her signature cheery smile.

"Hi, Lucy," she greeted, grabbing a large cup. "Want your usual?"

"Yes please," the blonde replied with a grateful smile.

The two idly chatted while Mira made her a strawberry milkshake, spraying a mountain's worth of whipped cream on top.

Lucy thanked the other girl for the milkshake, reaching into her pocket to grab her wallet when Mira stopped her.

"This one's on the house," she stated with a wink.

Lucy tilted her head to the side. "Really? Why? Is there some sort of promotional deal going on?"

"Nope. I could tell something was troubling you the moment you stepped in, so I thought I would try to cheer you up a bit."

"Oh, Mira, I'm fine! Here, let me pay!"

"Nope! I already said it's on the house, now shoo!"

Lucy smiled at the older girl. "Thank you, Mira."

"You're welcome, Lucy. I hope whatever it is gets resolved soon."

With a wave, Lucy headed back to the table, where everyone was still wrapped up in their conversations. That is, until they saw her drink.

"Oh great, something's bugging you too?" Gajeel asked, his gaze directed at her.

"What do you mean?" Lucy replied.

"You only get extra whipped cream whenever you're upset or something," Gray elaborated.

Lucy's mouth parted. They all noticed that small detail about her? They weren't just her closest friends for nothing.

"Hurry up and tell us who did it," Gajeel said. Lucy shivered at the threatening glint in his crimson eyes, knowing that if she were to tell him someone had wronged her, he would personally handle it in a way that left someone in a hospital. That was just how their group worked. They would pay someone back tenfold if they were to hurt one of them.

"I don't know what you guys are talking about," the girl insisted. "I just felt like having more whipped cream today!"

"Oh bullshit! First Salamander and now you? What's up with all the secrets!?"

"Lucy, you know you can tell us anything," Erza added.

"I know, but-"

"No but's. If something is on your mind, you should let it out and we'll listen. That's what friends are for."

Lucy ran a hand through her hair. She felt the urge to look over to Natsu, but she resisted. She knew that her friends would definitely pick up on the small action if she did.

She thought about telling them. She _did _promise the girls to tell them when she lost her virginity. Not only that, but maybe this would give her a chance to let Natsu know how she felt about the whole thing- though in truth, she still wasn't totally sure how she felt yet. All she had to do was alter a few details because she still wasn't comfortable with them knowing about her and Natsu.

"Okay, fine," Lucy said with a sigh. "You got me." She could feel Natsu's gaze whip towards her.

"Spit it out already!" Gajeel barked.

"Alright, alright! Sheesh!" She narrowed her eyes at them. "But you have to promise to keep your voices down when I tell you!"

"We promise!" Levy replied for all of them.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy thought back to that fateful night. She pictured Natsu's hands roaming her body, his hot lips grazing her flesh.

"I, uhh…" Glancing around the room to make sure nobody was listening, she lowered her voice to a whisper and continued, "I lost my virginity."

In an instant, everyone's eyes grew to the size of golf balls and their jaws dropped.

Erza's face in particular matched her hair as she sputtered, "Y-You had sex?"

Lucy buried her face in her hands and nodded. "Yeah, I did."

Gray furrowed his brows as he glanced towards Natsu. His face was scrunched up and his lips were pulled into a straight line.

"_Lucy must've already told him," _Gray thought, feeling sorry for him. He'd long since known about Natsu's feelings for Lucy. Hell, he probably knew about them before Natsu did. "_He must've been devastated when Lucy told him, and that's why he's like this."_

"Wait, who the hell did you have sex with?" Gajeel asked, clearly on the same page as Gray.

Lucy made sure to keep her gaze straight as she lied, "It was just some guy."

"Just some guy!?" Levy asked. "What do you mean just some guy!?"

"Just some guy I met."

"Where?"

"Uhh, on one of those apps."

"Lucy! Is that really how you wanted it to happen?" Erza asked.

Lucy furrowed her brows. "People do it all the time, why can't I?"

"Because you always talked about how you wanted it to happen! You said you were waiting to find the love of your life first!"

"Well, I got tired of waiting, okay? And I didn't want my inexperience to affect my writing anymore."

Juvia frowned. "Oh, Lucy, did you do it because of what we said about your story?"

Lucy tore her eyes away. "Maybe. Look, it doesn't matter why I did it. The point is, I did. And that's why I've been a little M.I.A."

"Why? Was it bad?" Levy asked. "Was he not attentive or gentle?"

"No, no! It's not that at all!" Lucy answered, shaking her head. It was embarrassing to talk about it, especially with the boys, but it was also relieving to get off her chest. And it was also nice to be able to tell Natsu what she felt without having to tell him directly. "The sex was great. Amazing."

Levy frowned as she asked, "Then what's bothering you? Do you regret doing it with him?"

Lucy heard a sharp intake of breath and couldn't help but glance towards Natsu. Her eyes met his, and she could tell he was wondering the same question.

Tearing her eyes away, Lucy shook her head.

"I don't regret it at all," she answered, her voice steady and her gaze firm. "It was a little embarrassing at first, but I don't regret a single thing that happened that night. In fact…"

She replayed the night over in her head, her cheeks set ablaze. As she was voicing her thoughts aloud, she finally understood what it was she was feeling. She felt nervous- nervous that Natsu didn't feel the same way about that night.

Because she wanted to do it again.

She wanted to feel his fingers against her skin, his lips on hers. She wanted all of him again and again. Thoughts about their night kept invading her mind and driving her body crazy, and she had a feeling they would continue to do so until she acted on her urges again.

"In fact," Lucy repeated, dragging her finger around the rim of her glass, "if he wanted, I would be more than willing to do it again."

Natsu's eyes widened, his mouth hanging open. His whole body felt like it was on fire, some of it shooting down to his pants. Burying his face in his scarf, he hid the grin that was taking over his face, not wanting the group to see it in fear that they would unravel Lucy's lies.

"So, yeah. That's about it," Lucy said with a shrug. Taking a sip of her milkshake, she hoped the cold drink would help cool off her body.

Juvia squealed, clasping her hands together. "Lucy, you're glowing!"

The blonde cocked her head to the side. "Glowing?"

"Yeah! Lucy is in love!"

The girl choked on her milkshake, spitting it out onto the table. "L-Love!?"

"Yes! Juvia has an eye for these things! It was love at first sight for Lucy, just like it was for Juvia!"

"I-I wouldn't go that far…" Lucy replied, tugging on the hem of her sweater. She hoped Juvia didn't give Natsu the wrong idea. She wasn't _in love _with Natsu. He was her best friend! She just wouldn't mind having a few benefits on the side if he was willing.

Meanwhile, Natsu couldn't deny the soft blow to his heart upon hearing Lucy's subtle denial. Still, he couldn't help but feel happy with what she said earlier.

"Anyways, it's been fun catching up with you guys, but as you know, midterms are coming up and I've got some more studying to do," Lucy said as she rose up from her seat.

"Wait! Before you go, can we see a picture of this guy!?" Levy asked.

"Nope!"

"Can we at least know his name!?"

Lucy chuckled, shaking her head. "Sorry, Levy-chan! That information is classified. Bye now!"

Before the group could bombard her with more questions, Lucy bolted for the door.

* * *

Three hours passed when Lucy felt a gust of wind wash over her back as she sat at her desk. She didn't need to turn around to know that her window had been opened, and that the soft sounds coming from the window were from none other than the boy who invaded her thoughts for the past week.

Warmth traveled through her body, the space between her thighs tingling with excitement as she heard Natsu stop just behind her. His abnormal body heat washed over her, sending a shiver down her spine as she thought of him closing the space between them.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to break into my apartment?" Lucy teased, thanking the heavens she didn't stutter. She still hadn't turned to face him, not wanting him to see the blush on her face.

"How many times do I have to tell you to lock the window if you don't want me breakin' in?" Natsu replied, his voice sending another shiver down her spine. Oh what she would give to have those lips against her again.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy swiveled the chair around to face Natsu, though with her sitting in the chair, her eyes were met with his toned abs instead. Gulping, the girl forced herself to meet his eyes, heat rushing to her cheeks as she pictured what was just below the hem of his pants.

"Hey, Natsu," Lucy squeaked. Clearing her thought, she brought her voice back down to its normal pitch. "W-What are you doing here?"

Natsu's lips straightened as he stared her down.

"Is it true?"

Lucy arched a brow. "Is what true?"

Natsu rubbed the back of his head awkwardly while nudging her carpet with the tip of his shoe. He suddenly whipped his head towards her, his onyx orbs gleaming with fierce resolve.

"Is it true that you don't regret what we did?" he asked. "Or were you just saying that earlier so they would get off your back?"

"Oh. Well I meant it," Lucy replied. "And I hope you don't regret it either."

"I don't!" Natsu exclaimed. Realizing his outburst, he ducked his face behind his scarf to hide his enthusiasm.

Still, he couldn't hide it from Lucy.

The girl blushed, clearing her throat and turning back towards her desk. She pretended to read through her notebook, absentmindedly flipping pages and moving her finger along the lines.

"Did you mean the other thing too?"

Her finger stopped, her eyes growing wide.

Slowly swiveling back around, she played with a lock of hair while swallowing thickly.

"M-Maybe," she replied meekly. "That is, if you want to, I mean."

"Do you want to?" Natsu asked.

"You tell me, I asked first!"

"No you didn't! I did!"

"No, your exact words were 'that is, if you want to.' Not a question, so I win!"

Lucy crosses her arms with a huff. "Well I want to, okay?" Realizing the words that slipped past her, she slapped her hands over her mouth. "I-I mean, we only did it once, so I'm still pretty inexperienced. I need to learn more if I really want to improve my writing."

"Oh, yeah. Your writing, of course," Natsu replied, nodding along. "And you do wanna be a famous author someday, so we can't let your writing be amateurish, right? What kinda best friend would I be if I didn't help you with your dream?"

"Exactly! So it's not weird for us to do this, right?"

"Not at all!"

The two broke eye contact, instead opting to stare at opposite walls as they laughed nervously.

"Well, let's set some ground rules if we're really going to do this," Lucy said, cupping her chin in thought. "First, we have to acknowledge that this is simply for my writing, that's it." After what Juvia said earlier, she couldn't risk Natsu getting the wrong idea. Not that he felt that way about her anyways, but just to be safe.

"Okay," Natsu replied, ignoring the punch to his gut he felt from her words. "I have a rule. If either one of us wants to stop, we have to tell the other person."

"Sounds good to me." Though she hoped he wouldn't want to stop anytime soon. "And most importantly, we can't let this ruin our friendship no matter what. If it seems like it's affecting our friendship, we call it quits. Got it?"

Natsu nodded. "Sounds good."

He held his hand out towards her, to which she accepted. They shook hands, solidifying their set of rules.

"So…" Natsu started, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Wanna go get some food?"

Lucy grinned. "Ooh yes! I'm starving!"

"Good! You're paying!"

"What!? No way! I paid last time!"

"No you didn't! I did!"

As the two bickered their way out of Lucy's apartment, their pact slipped their minds. In the moment, they were just two best friends, same as ever. Little did they know what the future had in store for them.

* * *

**AN: **I'm so out of practice. Oops.

Thank you to the reviewers: **Darkstarempire, MasterGildarts, Piglets12, FlameDragonHime, Guest, Starstruck-MJ, CurlyBookWriter94, ABT4Life, valerioux, abauers14, rigaryuna, TheQueenofAnime, MillennialStargazer, shootingstarssel, Talia D'vile, Ahhh, KYAAAA, Bstrinkets, MissVarta.**


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